Yoshio matsumuba



. Y. MATSUMURA. W I APPARATUS FOR S EARCHING A ND LUCA-TING SUBAQUE'OUS MATTER BY WAY OFS'WEEPING.

2 APPLICATION FILED rmzo. m9. 1 1,305 483, -PatentedJune 3,1919.

v 2 SHEETSSHEET I 3 UNITED STATES, PATENT oFFicE.

, YOSHIO MATIS'UMURA, OF MINAMI-KATSUSHIKA- -GUN, TOKYO, JAPAN.

APPARATUS FOR SEARCHING AND To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Yosmo MATSUMURA, a subject of the Emperor of. Japan, and a resident of No. 624 Horikiri, Minami-Katsushika-Gun, Tok 0, Empire of Japan, have invented new an useful Improvements in Apparatus for Searching and Locating Subaqueous Matter by Way of Sweeping, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus employed for the purpose of searching and locating subaqueous matter by means of what is generally called sweeping with more particular reference to method of spreading the range of the sweeping angleby means of a novel construction of device which I will term spreader adapted to be dragged along the sea surface. Heretofore in such apparatus in which the spreading devices are kept below water surface the latter besides being. equipped with necessary attachments have been accompanied with several additional appliances so as to keep same in proper position at desired depth of water, consequently when towing operations begin the heavy resistance of the gear on the spreaders counteracts their sweeping efficiency. With my improvements this is overcome, as the spreader which is novel in construction, as will appear later, serves itself as an efficient floater.

The object of the invention is to provide an arrangement of spreading device such that the latter will have to be dragged by one vessel along the sea surface thereby considerably reducing the amount of resistance to towage.

A further-object of the invention is to provide a spreader which will act in place of otter boards for trawling nets.

A. further obj ect'of the invention is to provide a spreading device which will work in surface water allowing theobservation of the proper operation of the apparatus thereby minimizing the chance of loss of or damage to the apparatus when caught on dangerous objects such asmines and the like.

Still further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which will eliminate the use of cumbrous floats and sinkers such as are necessary in the ordinary sweeping apparatus where the spreading appliances have to behave below surface water, thus permitting the use of lighter and less ex- Speci flcation of Letters Patent.

1.0mm sUB'AoUEoUs MATTER BY WAY or SWEEPING.

Patented June 3, 1919.

Application filed February 20, 1919. Serial No. 273,111.

with suspending bails and held in condition ready for towing.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on line A-A of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 13-13 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatical view showing the apparatus in operation.

Referring now to the drawings the spreader which is hollow and which is a substantially flattened ellipse in cross section has forwardly curvated head portion C and backwardly tapered body portion D sq as to assume the form somewhat resembling to the shape of the fish or torpedo.

In the outer casing 1 of this fish like mem her or spreader an inner similarly shaped but correspondingly smaller casing 2 is inclosed in such a manner as to leave an air space between both walls of the inner and outer casing, thus dividing the interior of the spreader into air and water chambers 3, 4, respectively.

Upon one side of the spreader and approximately at the point of the largest diameter of the head portion G thereof is provided an inlet opening 6 through which water rushes into the water chamber 4: when placed in working position upon the sea surface as will be more fully described herein after.

The inner wall of the inlet opening 6 is preferably inclined at a certain angle toward the head C and is provided along its mouth with semi-circularly flaring guide lip 7, likewise inclined toward the head, so that the inrushing water entering through the inlet will be caused to strike against the innerconcave wall E of the inner casing 2 before flowing out from the exit 8.

Secured to and arranged at above and below and on both sides of the inlet 6 is a ring 9 to each of which is attached the lower end of the bail 10, preferably adjusted to suit the circumstances, while the other end of each bail is gathered together and secured to the eye 11 which is adapted to receive the outer end of the warp 14 to enable the spreader. to be drawn a ong the sea surface'in the manner shown in Fig. 4:.

Fig. 4 illustrates the apparatus in operation, wherein 12 is the stern portion of the tow vessel having on both sides a suitable bit. .13, from each of which is paid out a towin warp 14, preferably tarred rope, adapte to connect with respective spreader through the medium of the bails 10, each spreader being held in position with its inlet facing toward the stern of the vessel in operation while the exits point toward each other.

The function of the spreader is obvious that when the towing begins the mass of water rushing through the relatively larger inlet 6 first impinges against the concave wall E of the water chamber 4, thence driven backward in the direction indicated by ar rows until it eventually rushes out at considerable speed through the relatively smaller exit 8. The effect is such that by reason of the reaction resulting therefrom both v spreaders are forced to move along the plane of their longitudinal axis to such an extent as to diverge themselves from each other so that each of the spreader ropes 15 which is preferably tarred and which is secured to the lower face of the spreader through the medium of the depending bails 10 and rings 9'. will be equally diverged from each other to such extent as to stretch between them the sweeper rope 17 which I prefer to be made of flexible steel wire, extending between and connecting the foot or weighted end 16 of the respective spreader rope 15.

With this improved arrangement especially in view of the novel construction an peculiar contour of the spreader it will be obvious that the latter will perform their proper function much more efliciently than such devices as hitherto adopted while there will also result a considerable saving in expense and labor.

What I claim is 1. A sweeping ap aratus comprising a plurality of sprea ers, preferably fish shaped and substantially flattened ellipse in cross section, an inlet and outlet on said spreader respectively at head and tail portlon thereof, -means to cause the inrushing water to strike against the head of the spreader before making its way to the exit.

2. A sweeping apparatus as set forth in claim 1, comprising an inner and outer casing, an air and water chambers formed betweenboth casings and within the inner casing respectively.

3. A sweeping apparatus as set forth in claim 1, comprising an inlet having its wall inclined toward the head of the spreader with equally inclined flaring lip extending half way along the mouth of the said inlet adapted to force the water toward the head of the spreader.

4. In a spreading device for sweeping apparatus as claimed in claim 1 the inlet opening having larger diameter than the outlet opening.

5. In a spreading device for sweeping apparatus as claimed in claim 1, a plurality of suspendin attachments arranged along the inlet opemng and adapted to receive outer end of the towing warp, and a plurality of depending attachments secured to the lower face of the spreader adapted to connect with spreader rope at the end most remote from the weighted end.

6. In a sweeping apparatus as claimed in claim 1, a pair of spreaders, each towed by separate warp with the head pointing oppositely to each other, a pair of ropes depending from each spreader, the sweeper ropes extending between and connecting both depending ropes.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

YOSHIO MATSUMURA.

Witnesses H. YASUMERO, M. OTSUKA. 

